Less Might Be Better
by Sei-sama
Summary: There was no good reason for him to get engaged to Elizabeth Benning...was there?


**So yeah, I wrote this (as well as that weird, theory-filled Little Shop of Horrors thing) about two weeks ago, mostly 'cause I wanted to fill in plot holes. For LSH, the idea that Audrey II could kinda sorta control minds came to me when I thought a little too hard about that first customer who talked in that very brain-washed way. This sprouted from me wondering why the hell Fredrick would want to marry someone like Elizabeth Benning...both of them suck, but they were mostly written for the sake of sharing theories...or something. I dunno.**

* * *

"_She's planning on going back to America, father."_

"_Ah, good riddance. When she's gone, you can go back to your studies! That damn American's led you astray far too long, my son…"_

"_Actually, father, I want to go with her."_

"…"

"_I'm sorry father, but I don't want to stay in this dark castle watching you zap dead men, making monsters. I just don't see the point."_

"…"

"_So…I'll be going."_

"_This is it? I let you stay under my roof, even though you're a bastard son; I let you read my books, I let you eat my food, I let you learn what I learned. And you're leaving me. For that no-good, dumb, average American."_

"_Yes. Good-bye."_

"_You will never find happiness there, you hear me?! Never! I curse your damn American fiancé! I curse your marriage! And I won't accept you again! Never!" _

_Alfred Frankenstein never looked back.

* * *

_

Fredrick brooded gloomily.

The trouble with being a famous scientist is that you always get invited to these shindigs, he thought, swirling a pristine glass of wine before him. He didn't have to go, of course, but it was hard to avoid a party when it was held at his own college. He had no idea how it happened. People just turned up, in the middle of his last class too. It was crazy. Almost like a Gatsby-style party. There wasn't some kind of award ceremony at the end of a Gatsby party though.

Was it worth it? Well, of course it was! Becoming a scientist got him closer to figuring out a way to cure his dad and get him out of that damn mental hospital. Well, it was supposed to get him closer. So far, he didn't have anything. Only other stupid, unimportant accomplishments that colleagues applauded him for though he didn't deserve it.

So maybe it wasn't worth it after all, if he couldn't figure out what was wrong with his dad's brain; it wasn't worth constantly smiling at drunk, giggly fools stumbling and collapsing around him; it wasn't worth pretending to enjoy being with people he didn't know; it wasn't worth putting up with how everybody rubbed his name in his face…

"Ah, here he is! Dr. Frankenstein!"

A smile frozen on his face, Fredrick wondered how long it would be until he strangled someone. "Fronk-en-steen," he replied in a strained voice, knowing that no matter what, everybody would continue to connect him with his insane grandfather.

"Hm? Ah, right, right, sorry." The well-dressed man slightly tipped a large top hat to him, looking far from apologetic.

"Oh, Frankenstein, like the crazy Victor guy," said one.

"The guy with the lightning and the dead men? Oooh…" The woman who said this glanced suspiciously at Fredrick. "He studies the brain, I've read. Slightly similar, don't you think?"

They stopped muttering rumors once the old man in his clean tuxedo turned to the group and started loudly on about 'Frankenstein this' and 'Frankenstein that' and 'I knew him before, of course.' Fredrick continued stirring his wine, trying to decide if the man who apparently knew him rented the tux. Probably.

The crowd before him chattered excitedly. Some women fawned over the man's anecdotes that concerned Fredrick (though he didn't remember any of them) and snuck sly glances towards the curly-haired, young scientist. To be polite, Fredrick acknowledged them with a nod and bob of his glass before he tried moving to another secluded corner. Nobody noticed much. Great scientists were expected to be eccentric and antisocial.

So Fredrick leaned against another corner of the room, distancing himself from (apparently) his own party, hoping all chattering groups would just ignore him tonight (highly unlikely). He stared down at his swirling wine. He hadn't even drunk anything. How long would they all stay? The whole night? Until midnight? Ugh, the thought made him drop his false smile…

When he looked up again, the young scientist was surprised to see a woman right in front of him; so surprised that he fumbled with his crystal glass for a few seconds before composing himself.

"Good evening," Fredrick greeted stiffly, looking the woman up and down. She was red-haired and her cheeks were flushed, probably from the wine, and she looked very rich, with her fine, satin gown that whispered when she merely twitched and her subtle earrings that reflected the light in a beautiful way and the various jewelry that adorned her. She looked very pretty as well, Fredrick conceded. What she didn't look, however, was frugal.

She giggled madly. Definitely drunk. "Oooooooooh, such a polite man!" The woman waved her hand and doubled over with laughter. Fredrick waited patiently until she straightened up again, still beaming like she had no care and no need to care for the world outside her own. Her cheeks were so plump and red, Fredrick thought she would explode into grating laughter again, but she didn't. "I'm Elizabeth Benning, sweetheart," she crooned, holding out a gloved hand. She was probably trying a queen-like look. To Fredrick, she looked unfocused and asinine. Still, he softly kissed her offered hand. Hmm, fine silk.

"Charmed." Elizabeth tittered, spilling some of her drink. The carpet (originally tan) was slowly turning a rosy pink color.

She waved a hand at her face like a fan and glanced around the crowd a bit. "There are so many scientists here! I've never seen so many smart men together!" Was she…? Yes, somehow she was getting redder. Any more and Fredrick figured she would get an explosive nose bleed.

"It _is_ a gathering for scientists, miss. And there _are_ awards for several men here, honoring their achievements." She simply giggled again and spilled more wine. Fredrick realized if she were to faint, he would have an excuse to get out of the party.

"Ooooh, so that what this party's all about." She amazingly had no slurring despite being obviously drunk. Her face was getting even more red. How many drinks did she have? "My father knows all these science types, you know."

"How interesting," said Fredrick, wondering if he should just dump his wine on the floor as well.

"He's a scientist too, you know."

"I wouldn't have guessed."

"In fact, I know some famous scientist men too! You're one of 'em, right?"

"You tell me," he said grimly.

Elizabeth stopped tottering and waving her arms around and tried with all her drunken might to focus on Fredrick. The stare was kind of unnerving. Fredrick let his wine spill without realizing. You know, even though they were red-shot, her eyes were a nice blue…

"Ah!" And this time Fredrick dropped his glass, where it shattered instantly. With all the attitude of a bad gypsy, Elizibeth waved her arms around, mystically spilling the rest of her wine, and said, "You're that Frankenstein guy!"

Fredrick let himself be cross again. "It's pronounced Fronk-en-steen."

"Ah, hm. I was never very good with foreign names. What's that, German?"

"Well, uh, no," Fredrick replied, rather surprised. He had been expecting something more usual: the weird stares, the whispered rumors, the normal suspicion that came with the damn name…

"But you're that stomach man, aren't you?"

"Brain," Fredrick corrected, but seemed to be ignored.

"My father likes you, y'know, thinks you're gonna do great things." Fredrick watched her face carefully, but there was nothing but drunken bliss. "Oooohohoho, looks like I ran out of drinks…Oooooh, I bet if everybody weren't so drunk, all these science types would be falling all over me. Men do that all the time, you know. Can you be a dear and get me more drinks?"

Fredrick decided to be a dear, but he still kept looking back at the shining woman who just seemed to stand out naturally. Maybe it was because her many jewelry were sparkling. Maybe it was because she was easily the drunkest person in the room. Maybe it was because she still seemed to be completely oblivious of who his grandfather was.

Maybe being with someone oblivious to anything outside her own world wasn't so bad.


End file.
